


Letters From The Deep Roads

by joufancyhuh



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, FP POV, mixture of fluff and angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-06 13:59:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12819036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joufancyhuh/pseuds/joufancyhuh
Summary: I feel the need to say something, but I can’t formulate the words. What we’ve discovered here... it’s despicable.





	Letters From The Deep Roads

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being outside my canon for my Warden-verse so enjoy this one-shot

_Dear Alistair,_

_I know we didn’t part on the best of terms, you kissing me and I said I needed time to think, followed by our argument about leaving you behind. But you are still my friend, and I need something to do while on look-out from the terrors down here. Besides, you have Barkspawn with you. I wouldn’t leave him behind if I didn’t plan on coming back._

_I stick by what I did. If something happens to me down here, another Grey Warden needs to remain topside to utilize the rest of the treaties and stop the Blight, even if that means the dwarves won’t be a part of that army. I wish you could’ve seen that and don’t hate me terribly by the time I come back. You and Bark will have to continue on without me, and you have to find my brother. Promise me you’ll find him and tell him what happened to our family._

_Shale is calling for me to sleep. I think I’m going to take them up on the offer. Don’t kill Morrigan while I'm gone._

_Take care,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dear Alistair,_

_It’s always dark here. I keep looking up and expecting to see stars, but it’s only rockbed. The sight is unnerving. In the Deep Roads, there is no night and day. Time doesn’t exist down here. We go on until we can’t anymore, and then Shale keeps watch for us since they never sleep. We’re almost to Caridin’s Cross, Oghren says we’re close, but he can’t say how close._

_Is it weird that I’m already starting to miss your smart aleck remarks? Oghren reeks of booze and I’ve been keeping my distance from him. I still don’t trust him. What happens if we find Branka and she decides she doesn’t have need of me? I’m keeping my guard up. Leliana is good company, but she lacks your sense of humor though she has the best stories. And Shale...well, you know._

_I hope you’re having fun up there._

_Your friend,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dear Alistair,_

_Caridin’s Cross is crawling with darkspawn and deepstalkers, I honestly don’t know which is worse. But we’re off to a good start, and I think we might actually be able to accomplish this crazy mission. Still, I’m a little bitter to once again be solving a dispute instead of fighting the Blight._

_My dreams are getting bad. The further in we go, the more vivid they get. I can almost count the scales on the Archdemon’s neck. It’s only going to worsen. Shale keeps me company when I wake up, but I keep expecting to see you poking the fire, the light reflecting in your eyes. Wow, that came off as kind of cheesy. You must be rubbing off on me._

_I guess that means I miss you or something. I wouldn’t read too much into it. The Deep Roads must be playing tricks on my mind._

_Your (apparently delusional) friend,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dear Alistair,_

_I’m glad I didn’t bring you down here. Giant spiders are EVERYWHERE. I hate it, but luckily Shale is a pretty good bug squasher. Still, it’s tough to deal with. I’ve been cleaning cobwebs out of my hair for days, I see why I keep it up now._

_We’ve made it to Ortan Thaig. There are spirits here, dwarves lost to time. How long have they been trapped down here? I pretend I’m putting them to rest, sending them to the Maker or the Stone, whichever way they want to go. It’s like walking through a forgotten city. Did the darkspawn really cause its collapse? These dwarves deserved better. I wish I could help in someway, bring the thaig back into Orzammar. The darkspawn have taken so much from us all._

_We found Ruck. He’s… not what we expected. He survived by living off of darkspawn flesh. I don’t know if telling his mother that he’s alive is the right choice, and he won’t come willingly. Oghren insists we should kill him, put him out of his misery. I wish you were here. I could really use you right now. You would know what to do._

_Missing you I guess,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dear Alistair,_

_I saw him. The Archdemon. He flew past where we hid in the Dead Trenches. I don’t know if he could sense me, but it was...terrifying, to say the least. I don’t know if I can do this anymore, dear friend. I’m so tired. I don’t know how long we’ve been down here, but there’s an endless stream of darkspawn and still no Branka, though we found her journal. I’m exhausted, and no matter how much we stop or how long I sleep, I can’t seem to regain my strength._

_Branka’s journal reminded me, I didn’t think of how I’m going to get these letters to you. We’ve no carriers, and should we not survive, these letters would be lost with me. The only way I can imagine is when you come down for your Calling and happen upon my remains. These thoughts are gruesome, but I can’t keep them at bay._

_You’re the only one keeping me going, the thought of seeing you again, of not letting you down. I knew you were important to me, but this….I don’t know what to make of it._

_Tired and confused,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dearest Alistair,_

_The longer we stay down here, the more assured I am that I’m not going to see the sun again or feel it on my skin. If we make it out, I’ll run naked through the Frostbacks, letting the light hit every inch of me. I miss it. I miss you._

_I’m sorry I said I needed more time. I can’t stop thinking of you, of that kiss. I look at the rose you gave me and I just get this overwhelming feeling of homesickness. If I come back, I’m going to kiss you until we’re blue in the face. I want to be with you. I’m sorry that it took me coming down here to realize that._

_Yours,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_I feel the need to say something, but I can’t formulate the words. What we’ve discovered here... it’s despicable._

  
  
  


_Dearest,_

_We’ve found the Anvil, and Branka. Branka is dead and the Anvil destroyed, but we found something much greater. More importantly, we’re coming home._

_Excitedly,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dearest,_

_Knowing that I’m on the way back to the surface has given me strength. Suddenly, the darkspawn don’t seem as bad anymore, nor the spiders, nor the ghosts. Nothing can faze me now._

_I feel as though my last letters left a lot out, and with good reason. The things we’ve seen, I don’t know if it’s something we will ever forget. I know I’ve said this before, but I’m glad you stayed behind. I’ve heard you with Leliana, you have trouble steeling yourself. I like the quality of innocence you carry around with you. I like you the way you are, and if you came down here, that would change. I’m not presuming; I know._

_Leliana doesn’t sing anymore as we march on. Even the Deep Roads has taken the song from her lips. Oghren stopped his drunken ramblings too, but he didn’t turn on us when we sided against Branka. I’ve decided he’s good people and if he wants to join us against the darkspawn, he’s more than welcome to. And Shale! We discovered Shale is actually a woman! She was originally a dwarf, and the only female volunteer to be made into a golem. I can’t help but feel pride at that._

_Shale remains the same, but she’s the only one of us. She! That’s going to take some getting used to._

_Amused,_

_Elindra_

  
  
  


_Dearest,_

_Tomorrow, we should reach Orzammar and while I’m not above sleeping like a sack over Shale’s shoulder just to get there sooner, I’ve been overruled and we’ve stopped for the night. After the King business, I’m running and not stopping until I find your arms around me. Maker forgive me, but I say we earned ourselves a few days break from the Blight._

_First round’s on me. After that, we can head to the Circle. I do know one good thing to come of this: I’m never letting you out of my sight again._

_Dreaming of you,_

_Elindra_


End file.
